Adjustable seat belt guide

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to an adjustable seat belt guide ( 15 ) which is constructed of a clamping belt ( 5 ) around the back support ( 6 ) of a car seat ( 4 ) in a vertical way and supplied with a tightening retaining clip ( 7 ) for a taut fastening, in which through a cover ( 8 ) around the clamping belt ( 5 ) a rectangular carabiner or other inventable locking mechanism ( 10 ) provided with a lockable opening, preferably a turnable bush ( 11 ) is attached, in which the car seat belt ( 1 ) is applied through the locking mechanism ( 10 ) so that a very comfortable complete car seat belt assembly is created for a pleasant ride.

The present invention relates to a device for adjusting the upper pointof grip of seat belts, a so called adjustable seat belt guide, in whichthe mentioned upper point of grip should be lowerable in most cases tobe adjusted to the length of the user, which in that case are mostly“young” people with a body length between 1 m and 1.65 m.

A somewhat similar adjustable seat belt guide is not known in the lookedup patent literature, but there is known a general in height adjustableseat belt, not being a seat belt guide. It concerns the European patentdocument number WO 9210385, based on the Swedish patent document numberSE 199 00003883 19901206 of VOLVO AB (SE) with inventor PILHALL STIG(SE).

Here it concerns a seat belt guide, which is mounted adjustably on thetop side on the inside of the vehicle, mostly a private car, and asmentioned especially meant for persons on the back seat. The seat beltof the retractable reel-like type and is mounted on the inner side ofthe compartment of the vehicle. The in height adjustable assemblyconsists of an in longitudinal direction sticking-out body mounted onthe inner side of the compartment at shoulder height of the person, inwhich the length of the guiding body, in which the upper attachmentpoint of the safety belt can be fixed slidably is such, that withsmaller “adult” people the transverse belt does not touch the face.

The aforementioned known device has a number of disadvantages, beingthat by adjustment of only the upper attachment point of the safety beltthe transverse belt or cross belt, in spite of all inventedconstructions, it does not lay low enough over just the chest of smallerpersons, as there should be an adjustment possibility up to below theupper side of the back support of the car seat. Letting it run over thecar seat with friction would not be a solution for a comfortable safetybelt and especially the transverse belt or cross belt either so that,the known adjustment device certainly does not offer a comfortablesolution.

Furthermore another similar solution, as described above, known from theFrench patent document FR 2533446 of applicant RENAULT (FR) withinventor JOURDAN, Jacques and LARSONNEUR, Jean-Francois.

According to their description it concerns a safety belt with retractingassembly and device for adjusting the height of the transverse belt orcross belt, in which the upper side can be fixed adjustably to avertical guide on the inner side of the vehicle, so that also here theupper side of the transverse belt can be adjusted to a certain extent.For smaller persons and especially young people these describedadjustment possibilities are not nearly enough and the aforementioneddisadvantages of un-safety and little comfort during the ride are stillmaintained.

The aim of the present invention concerns to provide such a solution foradjusting in height of the transverse belt or cross belt, that theaforementioned disadvantages are eliminated and of which the use isbetter and by which an adjustable seat belt guide can be delivered whichis suitable for widely use at a favourable cost price.

For this a device for adjusting the upper point of grip of seat beltsand specifically a height lower than the upper side of the back supportis further developed in a very inventive way, that the mentioned device,the so called adjustable seat belt guide, is constructed of a vertical,around the side of the back support of the car seat attachable ormountable clamping belt or belt with tightening retaining clip for ataut fastening, in which around the mentioned clamping belt a movablecover is applied with at least one rectangular opening faced away fromthe back support and transverse on the direction of the clamping beltfor leading through a rectangular carabiner applied around the clampingbelt and which also goes through the mentioned rectangular opening, inwhich the actual supporting seat belt is fixed through the rectangularof the carabiner, in which the mentioned carabiner is lockable orretainable on the outside, in which the material of the mentionedclamping belt can be a woven fabric and the material of the lockingmechanism can be a metal or plastic or any other material withsufficient strength quality.

The advantage is that a guiding adjustment possibility is created foralmost every body length, which strongly improves the comfort and safetyfor, for example children and makes the journey much more pleasant.

Further the device according to the invention is developed in such away, that the mentioned clamping belt of the adjustable seat belt guideis of woven seat belt fabric, and that the mentioned tighteningretaining clip is an in the market available lashing buckle or anotherdesign of a clip or clasp.

The advantage is that the adjustable seat belt guide can be applied fastand effectively (without sliding while in use) around the back supportof the car seat.

Furthermore the device according the to invention is developed in such away that, the mentioned cover can be made of a woven fabric, leather,plastic or any material with flexible properties, in which at least onecentral rectangular opening is applied for the carabiner or otherlocking mechanism and further, if required, above and below thementioned rectangular opening two parallel rectangular slits forlead-through of the clamping belt are applied.

The advantage is an in unloaded position slidable cover over the belt ofthe adjustable seat belt guide and after attaching the locking mechanism(at this moment the carabiner) stays well at the desired height.

Furthermore the device according to the invention is further developedin such a way, that the mentioned carabiner has an opening facedoutwardly, which can be closed by a turnable over the carabinerelongated bush with roughened outer surface or that the mentionedcarabiner has an opening faced outwardly, which can be closed by aspring snap construction or lip construction or other thinkable lockingmechanism.

The advantages are that the transverse belt of the seat belt can beattached or mounted in a suitable and very handy way through the lockingmechanism of mentioned carabiner of the adjustable seat belt guide.

The preferred construction of the invention will be described by way ofexample, and with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a front view in oblique projection of the usual position ofa safety belt on a young lady with a small body length and constructedaccording to the known art;

FIG. 2 shows a front view in oblique projection of the utilization ofthe adjustable seat belt guide according to a preferred embodiment ofthe invention on the young lady of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a front view in oblique projection of the adjustable seatbelt guide according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention;and

FIG. 4 shows a front view in oblique projection of the adjustable seatbelt guide according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a front view in oblique projection of the usual and mostlyonly way of positioning or application of the known safety belt 1 on ayoung lady or child 2 with a relatively small body length.

The child or the young lady 2 is mostly seated on the back seat 4 of acar and therefore gets the cross belt of the safety belt 1 against herface 3, which is very annoying and because of which the trip becomesunpleasant.

FIG. 2 shows a front view in oblique projection of the utilization ofthe adjustable seat belt guide 15 with clamping belt 5 for the crossbelt of the safety belt 1. This way the child or the young lady 2experiences the car trip as much more pleasant. The adjustable seat beltguide 15 with clamping belt 5 is strapped around the back support 6 ofthe back seat 4 in a vertical way. Strapping is done with a tighteningretaining clip 7, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The adjustable seat beltguide 15 with clamping belt 5 further consists of an along the seat beltguide movable or slidable cover 8 with, faced away from the adjustableseat belt guide 15 with clamping belt 5, at least one rectangularopening 9 transverse on the direction of the adjustable seat belt guide15 with clamping belt 5, through which the adjustable seat belt guide 15with clamping belt 5 becomes visible again from the outside. Through thementioned opening 9 a carabiner 10 is fixed around the actual clampingbelt 5 of the adjustable seat belt guide 15 by means of, for examplescrewing the turnable bush lock 11 open. By opening the carabiner 10again the cross belt of the safety belt 1 is applied or mounted, afterwhich the opened carabiner is closed again and the adjustable seat beltguide is a fact. This turnable bush lock 11 can also be replaced by aspringy snap construction or lip construction (not indicated).

FIG. 4 also shows two parallel rectangular slits 12 and 13 above andbelow the central rectangular opening 9. This can have as purpose thatthe cover 8 is slidable along the adjustable belt with a largerfriction. Furthermore logo's, advertisement messages, marks and furthertexts can be applied on the cover 8, through which the whole looks evenmore aesthetic or desirable and possibly leads to even better saleresults.

Finally it has to be emphasized, that the above description constitutesa preferred embodiment of the present invention and that furthervariations and modifications are still possible without departing thescope of this patent description.

1-8. (canceled)
 9. A device for adjusting the upper point of grip ofseat belts, an adjustable seat belt guide, in which mentioned upperpoint of grip should be lowerable in most cases to be adjusted to thelength of the user, which in that case are mostly young people with abody length between 1 m and 1.65 m, characterized in that, the mentioneddevice, the adjustable seat belt guide comprises: a vertical, around theside of the back support of the car seat at least one of attachable andmountable clamping belt or belt with tightening retaining clip for ataut fastening, in which around said clamping belt a movable cover isapplied with at least one rectangular opening faced away from the backsupport and transverse on the direction of the clamping belt for leadingthrough of a rectangular carabiner applied around the clamping belt andwhich also goes through said rectangular opening, in which the actualsupporting seat belt is fixed through the rectangular of the carabiner,in which the mentioned carabiner is lockable or retainable on theoutside, in which the material of the mentioned clamping belt is a wovenfabric and the material of the locking mechanism is at least one of ametal and plastic and material with strength quality.
 10. The device asclaimed in claim 9, wherein said clamping belt of the adjustable seatbelt guide is of woven seat belt fabric, and that said tighteningretaining clip is a lashing buckle which is available in the market. 11.The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said cover is made of one of awoven fabric, leather, plastic and material with flexible properties, inwhich at least one central rectangular opening is applied for thecarabiner and above and below said rectangular opening two parallelrectangular slits for a lead-through of the clamping belt are applied.12. The device as claimed in claim 9 wherein said carabiner has anopening faced outwardly, which is closed by a turnable over thecarabiner elongated bush with a roughened outer surface.
 13. The deviceas claimed in claim 9 wherein said carabiner has an opening facedoutwardly, which can be closed by one of a spring snap construction anda lip construction.
 14. The device as claimed in claim 9 wherein saidcarabiner has an opening faced outwardly, which can be closed by a roundwire mounted through a bore and springy over a hook.
 15. The device asclaimed in claim 9 wherein said carabiner is one of a stainless steeland material with strength quality and said plastic is polypropylene.16. The device as claimed in claim 12 wherein said outer surface of thedevice, the adjustable seat belt guide and the cover with the carabineris provided with at least one of advertisement messages, marks, logo's,texts to provide a more attractive look.